She Drowns In The Memories
by MysteriouslyMystery
Summary: A little over a year after Masquerade leaves, Alice gets a sudden dream about him. Does it mean something?
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys! This is my first story, so be nice... Aahhh, I have waited since forever to force someone to say the disclaimer. *Evil laugh* Masky?

Masquerade: ...

Me: *Puppy eyes* Pleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase?

Masquerade: ... No.

Me: *Sad face*

Alice: Masquerade be nice!

Masquerade: ... Fine. MysteriouslyMystery does not own Bakugan. If she did I would be the main character and never have left in the first place.

Me: Yay! Thanks! *Happy face*

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**Chapter 1**

As soon as she saw him, she ran towards him, tears of joy clouding her vision. She threw her arms around him, opened her mouth to say something, then cried and laughed at the same time while he held her close. Neither of them said a word, both overjoyed at seeing one another.

Just when she felt like she was finally happy again, he whispered to her.

"I can't stay any longer." Her eyes widened and she stared at him in disbelief. When he made no motion to undo what he had said, she buried her face in his chest. So quiet were her next words that they were barely audible.

"Please don't go. I-I still need you here. "

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Well? What do you think? Please drop some comments, all critique accepted. Unless you tell me it's too short. I did that on purpose. Next chapter coming soon! :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, first of all I would like to thank those of you who reviewed. It made my day! :D Second, the next chapter may only be up next Sunday, depending on my homework levels. Crap, I know. :( Third, Masquerade may be OOC, seeing as it has been ages since I last saw him in an episode.**

**Lastly, the disclaimer! ^^ Let's see, who should I bug this time? ... ... ... Aw, Masky isn't around. Well Runo, your turn.**

**Runo: *Groans* Do I have to?**

**Me: Yes! :D**

**Runo: Fine. MysteriouslyMystery does not own Bakugan.**

**Me: Yay! Thanks!**

**Enjoy the new chapter! ^^**

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**Chapter 2**

Alice's eyes snapped open. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought her dream over, the memory still fresh. She just didn't understand where it had come from. It had been almost a year since she had last seen him, a few months since she managed to banish thoughts of him from her mind. In fact, her life was about as normal as it was going to get. So then… Why had Masquerade shown up in her dream? Silent tears glided down her face at the memory of him.

The only reason she got out of bed at all was that her alarm clock was beeping restlessly. She took a quick shower, brushed her teeth and combed her hair. Distractedly she pulled on a random shirt without checking or really caring which one it was. After getting ready, she grabbed her handbag and headed outside to the café near the hotel where she was staying. Alice ordered a bagel and some coffee, then went to sit down. Absentmindedly she stared in a random direction, her mind someplace far from reality.

"Hey Alice!" Runo's voice snapped Alice out of her trance-like state. She smiled up at her blue-haired friend. "Can I join you?"

"Sure." She replied. Runo beamed and sat down opposite Alice. A waiter came by to take their orders.

"One apple muffin and a coffee, please." Runo said.

"I've already ordered, thank you." Alice added when the waiter asked her what her order was. As soon as he was out of earshot, Runo turned to her friend.

"Oh my god, he's super cute! I love his eyes, they're really pretty. And also…" Runo continued talking, but Alice did not hear a thing. She was off in her own world, lost in thoughts about Masquerade. How she missed him… _No Alice, you can't let yourself think that way anymore, remember? You said you'd let go of the past, _she thought, remembering her promise to herself not to think of Masquerade.

"Um, hello? Alice?" Runo snapped her fingers in front of her friend's face, causing Alice to blink rapidly. Her bagel and coffee were already sitting on the table in front of her.

"Sorry." She murmured.

"Whatevs. Were you listening to me at all?"

"Yes, you were talking about-"Alice indicated the waiter with her eyes, upon which Runo continued her cheerful babble. Still not exactly down to earth with her thoughts, Alice began to nibble on her bagel, then decided she wasn't hungry. Though she didn't notice, Runo asked Alice the same question three times before snapping her fingers again, slightly annoyed this time.

"Alice."

"…"

"Alice!"

"Mmh-mmh"

"ALICE!"

"…"

"ALICE, GET THE FUCK OUT OF DREAMLAND LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW!" yelled Runo, causing stares from some people. Alice herself snapped out of it with a start, shocked from Runo's yelling.

"S-sorry Runo…" she said in a small voice. The only reply was an irritated grunt. A while later, when Runo was half-finished with her apple muffin, she spoke again.

"Geez Alice, you seem kinda… Out of it today. Is something wrong?"

"N-no."

"You're blushing!"

"…"

"Someone's got a crush!" Runo chanted teasingly.

"Not true!" Alice retorted, feeling her face heat up. It was true that she missed her alter ego, but... Not in that way. Right? Doubt began to slowly creep into her mind until she scolded herself internally. She would have known if she'd had that kind of feeling for Masquerade…

"Oh, of course." Her blue-haired friend said sarcastically.

"It's something else." As soon as they were out of her mouth Alice regretted having said the words.

"Like what?" Runo's tone was one somebody might use if asking about the weather, but her eyes betrayed her curiosity. For a moment, Alice considered telling her everything, start to finish, but then she rethought. Runo hated Masquerade with a passion, she wouldn't understand. Instead Alice decided to just leave, seeing as it was already half past ten.

"I'll tell you later." Before Runo could protest, Alice had hurried out of the café.

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Masquerade sighed. It was another boring day with nothing to do except stare about at the dreary environment surrounding him. Since he did not feel like taking a walk, he decided to just sit there.

**XXXXX**

A few hours later he decided sitting there wasn't his thing either. He got back up and decided to see if there was any life in this hellhole besides him, knowing there wasn't but also knowing there was nothing better to do.

Right out of nowhere, a loud roaring noise resounded. Masquerade froze, surprised that something interesing was happing. His mouth curved upwards in a smirk as he recognized the roar.

"Only Bakugan make noises like that." He said amusedly to himself. Sure enough, a colossal being swooped over his head seconds after the words left his lips. Its wings beat as it lowered itself to the ground, facing Masquerade. Behind the mask, he raised his eyebrows.

"...Naga?"

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**So, tell me what you think. Good? Bad? Needs work? And how did you like the cliffhanger? All reviews accepted!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Surprise! Chapter Three is here early!**

**Masquerade: Who cares?**

**Me: Zip it Masky, you're ruining my good mood.**

**Masquerade: ...**

**So anyways, hope you enjoy.**

**Masquerade: You forgot the disclaimer, you-**

**Me: BAD MASKY! NO SWEARING!**

**Masquerade: Shut up and stop calling me that. Just say the disclaimer already.**

**Me: Fine. I do not own Bakugan. Whoever does has some kind of problem for getting rid of Masquerade. ... Wait, did you just brainwash me into saying the disclaimer myself?**

**Masquerade: *Evil smirk***

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Chapter 3

Not much happened to Alice that day. Even if it had, she would have been too distracted to notice. In fact, she was so preoccupied that she had walked straight into a glass door. Runo tried calling her five times, Julie twice. She didn't care. When she passed Shun in the city, he had noticed something was wrong and asked, but she just passed right by him without even realizing. She couldn't explain why she reacted this way to Masquerade's appearance in her dream. It had only been a dream; it wasn't like he had really appeared. All the same, Alice knew that her behavior was just not normal, so why didn't she just change it? The thoughts ran through her head in a never-ending cycle.

It was a while until Alice realized that she was nearly a kilometer away from the city. Pausing, she leant against a tree by the path. She closed her eyes and thought of Masquerade, wishing she could talk to him one last time.

"Come back…" she whispered, her eyes still closed. If only she could just see him one last time, she would sort everything out, she decided. Eventually she decided it was getting late and that she would have to head for home soon. That was when a blinding flash of light startled Alice. Her arm shot up to shield her eyes, but the light was already gone. Replacing it was a scene she would never have imagined possible.

_Masquerade stared up at his former master. Naga stared right back. Silence enveloped them, thick as syrup. Neither wanted to be the first to speak._

_Suddenly, Naga's silhouette seemed to flicker, then Naga himself shattered like glass. Instantly Masquerade knew something was awfully, horribly wrong. If Naga was going to shatter, he was likely not to be the only one who was going to do so. Out of lack of other ideas, he searched his pockets for his old teleporter card, but before he could find it, everything turned black, pitch black._

_"What the fu-" he began, but never finished his sentence. Masquerade felt himself falling, falling right into the random blackness. At first he tried to find something to catch on to, but then the temperature dropped by about fifteen degrees. A non-material appeared to strike him and for whatever reason, he passed unconscious. His body continued to fall._

As abruptly as it had started, Alice's vision ended. She found herself slumped against the tree trunk, half sitting, half lying. Had it been real? … Could it have been real?

A closer call was hardly imaginable. Masquerade had regained consciousness seconds before shooting past some kind of ledge. He had flung his arm out and grabbed the ledge at just the right moment. When he looked down, he saw that had he woken more than maybe two seconds later, he would have fallen to his death without question. Most people would be paralyzed with shock and endlessly grateful for their survival, but Masquerade wasn't like most people. Instead, he just smirked and pulled himself onto the ledge.

**XXXXX**

It was midnight when he arrived in Moscow. He considered entering through the door but decided against it. Instead, he walked around the side of the house until he was standing directly underneath Alice's window. After a moment's hesitation, he began to climb upwards, not sure exactly what he was using as footholds (it was pitch-black). When he reached Alice's window, he clambered onto the sill and tried the window. It was locked. He tried to pry it open with his fingers. No luck. Oh shit. Knowing that dawn would come around soon, he resolved to staring at the starry sky above. At some point she would wake and find him there.

As the night dragged on, each second ticking slowly by, Masquerade began to wonder what Alice's reaction to his appearance would be. No doubt she would at least let him into her room, being the kind-hearted person she was. He was also quite certain that she would ask how he had come to end up on her windowsill. A smirk spread its way across his face as he thought over how strange it would be to her when she found him there. But the real question was... Would she remember him after all this time? And would she be happy, angry, or sad to see him again? Masquerade entertained himself by imagining various scenarios of Alice finding him, guessing her reactions to his words, all the way until the first rays of morning light decorated the sky.

When there was enough light, he chose to watch Alice sleeping rather than the sunrise. She looked not much different than she had the last time he had seen her. Sure, her hair had grown and she was bound to be somewhat taller, but her face was still the same as the mental image he connected to his alter ego. Her room was what really surprised him.

Alice had always had a relatively tidy room, as far as Masquerade remembered. She always made sure her clothes were put away, no papers were left laying around, and no weird random objects were to be found under her bed. Now, however, the floor was littered with chocolate wrappers, shop receits, books opened or closed at random, and even a few lipgloss tubes. Over the closet doors hung clothes. Their colors surprised Masquerade: He had never seen Alice wearing black before, but half of her closet seemed to consist of the color. Not much makeup was present except for the lipgloss tubes. Masquerade wondered if his alter ego had changed as dramatically as her room had. To find out, he knew he would have to wait. Just keep waiting...

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**So that's Chapter 3. Tell me your opinions! And by the way, I tried to take JetravenEx's suggestion of making the paragraphs longer, so tell me how you reckon I did on that if you like.**

**Masquerade: Maybe you could make the times when you shut up longer, too.**

**Me: Not you again! I'm trying to talk to my audience! *hides Masky behind***

**Work on Chapter 4 will be at the fastest speed I can manage, I promise. ^^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi all, sorry for the holdup. As usual, I am thanking my subscribers and commenters, you are awesome and I love you all. ^^**

**Masquerade: Slimer.**

**Me: ... Do you ever shut up?**

**Masquerade: Nope. *Evil smirk***

**Me: *Sigh* If you weren't you I would kill you right now. Say the disclaimer, Masky.**

**Masquerade: See if you can make me.**

**Me: *Pulls gun out of nowhere and raises eyebrow challengingly***

**Masquerade: *Yawn* Lame. But oh well. MysteriouslyMystery does not own Bakugan, blah blah blah.**

**So, without further drama (or Masky) here is Chapter 4!**

**Masquerade: Hey, what's that supposed to mean? *pissed face* Hydra, get her!**

**Me: *Runs like hell to get away from Hydra***

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Chapter 4

Carefully placing one foot in front of the other, Alice made her way slowly through the fog. It was thick and visibility was rather poor. She looked this way and that but could still not decipher anything. Without knowing why, she continued walking. That moment, she heard a voice cut through the fog. At first she couldn't tell what it was saying, but eventually it became sharper, clearer. And it was calling her name.

"Alice… Alice… A-lice…" Over and over again it repeated. She tried to ignore it. No luck. She attempted to say something back. No words came to her. Eventually she couldn't take it anymore. Placing her hands over her ears, she tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. A horrible sense of confinement swept over her. Alice felt trapped. Desperately though she tried to make sense of it all, it still felt like the world was spinning. Wait, the world was _literally _spinning.

Everything swirled, creating a whirlpool, and Alice was sucked inside, pulled under by the current, unable to break the surface. Still the voice called to her, speaking her name. With a sudden pang she realized that the voice was the very thing forcing her down into the liquid doom, causing her consciousness to slip away slowly. But Alice wouldn't drown for just anybody, and this wasn't just any voice either. It was Masquerade's.

Her eyes snapped open and Alice found herself in her room. Looking at her clock, she found that it was 5:25 AM. Feeling rather down from her dream/nightmare, she pulled the covers over her head, closed her eyes, and tried to remember what Masquerade's voice had sounded like. Which didn't exactly work, seeing as she only felt worse when she couldn't. Before that first dream, life had been fine. She had locked the memories and thoughts of Masquerade away in her mind, somewhere in an easily-forgotten dark corner. Their existence itself was denied. Sure, she had changed quite a bit, but other than that, her life had been normal. Everything was different now. Thoughts of him chased reason and any form of normality away, his image haunted her, her world twisted itself upside down, even her own dreams were being taken over by him. Reality and dreams seemed to blur together until she couldn't separate truth from lies. Alice was literally drowning in memories.

Just a single dream about Masquerade had done this to her over the course of two days (was it really just two? Alice's sense of time was gone too). Still, it was nothing compared to the broken wreck she had been when he had left.

**XXXXX**

When at last she decided sleep was not going to return, Alice tossed the covers aside and sat up, swinging her legs over the bedside. She was about to get ready when she felt like she was being watched, so she let her gaze sweep the room. Her heart pounded like crazy, but when she looked at the window, it felt like it had stopped beating at all. There he sat, staring right back at her, one of his signature smirks planted on his face. Masquerade.

She wanted to scream but no sound came. She wanted to run but her legs disobeyed. All she could do was stand there, spellbound, immobile, stunned. He simply sat and enjoyed watching her reaction.

Some time later, he knocked on the glass and mimed opening the window. Still not sure whether or not she was dreaming, she paced towards him and unlocked the window, opening it quietly. He slipped inside swiftly, still not saying anything. Alice pinched herself at least three times before letting her eyes well up with tears. She could hardly trust her own eyes, though this time something was different. No fog. No whirlpools. No whispering voices. No blurry images of Masquerade, and no shattering images of Naga. This was real. He was back, truly back.

"Am I dreaming?" her voice was shaky, unsteady, and held a lot of emotion. There was a slight pause.

"No. It's really me. I'm back, Alice."

"Oh, Masquerade!" she choked, flinging her arms around him, letting the tears flow freely. For a moment, he was taken aback, not having anticipated this kind of thing from Alice, but then he gently placed his arms around her. Alice was crying and laughing at the same time. Several times she wanted to say something, but she just couldn't bring herself to ruin the moment. In the end, it was Masquerade who broke the silence.

"Looks like somebody missed me." he said, smiling ever so slightly.

"Y-you have n-no idea." she replied, blushing a little. He laughed softly.

"What's s-so funny?"

"I've never seen somebody cry while laughing." as he said this, she raised her gaze to look up at him. Seeing her tearstained face, he realized that his departure had had a much more severe effect on Alice than he would have guessed. He took her face in one hand and, using the back of his other hand, wiped all her tears away. Behind the mask, his eyes were filled with concern, likely for the first time. For once he wasn't smirking.

"M-me neither. I h-have never d-done so before." her eyes had run dry already, but she coudn't seem to speak straight when he was so close to her.

"Can't you speak, Alice?" asked Masquerade teasingly, "You used to be able to, I still remember-" he never did finish his sentence; Alice had done possibly the only thing he had not expected. She kissed him.

At first he was very surprised. Alice had never dared to do something like this. Slowly though, the surprise faded and he kissed her back. Masquerade wrapped one arm around her waist whilst holding her head with the other hand. She had her arms slung around his neck. Both had their eyes closed. The moment seemed to last forever. So intense was their kiss that they didn't notice the door slowly creaking open and somebody stepping onto the threshold. Dr. Michael's eyes widened when he saw his granddaughter.

"...Alice?" he asked. Instantly the two broke apart and turned to see who had walked in on them. Alice's mind went blank as she searched frantically for something to say.

"I-I can explain..." she began, knowing that really she couldn't.

"No. I will." as usual, Masquerade had a ready set of replies and excuses. Whether they would work on Alice's grandfather was the question.

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**... So that's Chapter 4! All reviews accepted, like always.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everybody! I'm really really really really really sorry for taking so long, I had no inspiration for a while and when the inspiration came, so did piles of homework... D:  
And also, I did not watch the episodes after the one where it turns out Alice is Masquerade (curse Youtube for not having them), so if I contradict the story then you know why... XD And in my version of things, Masquerade would never have lost against Dan, he's too cool for that.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy Chapter 5!**

**Masquerade: (murmuring) Because she's never going to finish chapter six.**

**Me: Excuse me? Why don't you try writing a story!**

**Masquerade: Make me.**

**Me: Grrr... Do you always have to comment?**

**Masquerade: Yes. *Annoying smirk***

**Me: Ignore Masky, he never learned how to shut up. Enjoy chapter 4!**

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**Chapter 5**

"No need," Dr. Michael said, "I understand."

"Oh Grandfather…"

"Grandfather? Hal-G is your grandfather?" Masquerade asked in a somewhat shocked tone, directing his comment at Alice. Dr. Michael frowned.

"N-no, it's a long story…" she mumbled in reply. Masquerade nodded once.

"Alice, I'm going to the market now. Is there anything you want?" Michael interjected.

"Oh! No, no thank you, Grandfather."

"I will be back in a few hours then." With that he left the room. As soon as the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance, Masquerade turned back to Alice.

"Is he always like that?" he asked.

"Like what?"

"Grumpy and unhappy."

"Usually not… It's just that he thinks I'm still his little girl…"

"But you're not."

"What do you mean?"

"You're _my _little girl." He said without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Her eyes lit up and she blushed. A thought suddenly struck her.

"Masquerade…"

"Yes?"

"Since we aren't sharing bodies, I was wondering… What happens when you take your mask off?"

"Interesting question." As usual, he did not want to admit that he didn't know something. She stared up at him, wishing she could see his eyes and wondering which color they would be.

**XXXXX**

Julie drummed her fingers on the table impatiently, waiting for her friends to log into the webcam chatroom. She was on holiday in Cuba, but she had brought her laptop to chat to her friends. So far, they had arranged times to meet online over the phone four times in one week (Julie got bored easily). Runo, Marucho, Dan, Shun, and Alice had agreed to be online at twelve, but it was five past already. Just as she was about to pick up the phone, a window popped up with Dan depicted on it. Runo logged on less than a minute later.

"Oh my god, hi you guys!" squealed Julie.

"Hi Julie. Isn't Shun supposed to be online by now?" asked Dan. In that moment Shun signed on.

"Sorry I'm late, I was up in the mountains-"

"Practicing your ninja skills. We know." All three chanted. Shun rolled his eyes.

"Where are Alice and Marucho?"

"Marucho's computer broke yesterday, he can't go online," said Dan.

"And Alice is probably daydreaming again," Runo added, a touch of anger present in her voice.

"Why again?" Julie asked, leaning closer to the screen enthusiastically.

"Yesterday I saw her at the café, but she was so spaced out I don't know if she even saw me."

"Maybe she was high." Dan added unhelpfully.

"DAN! Alice was NOT high!" shrieked Runo.

"Relax, it was just a thought…"

"No," said Runo, "It was just you being a jackass." Dan looked annoyed, opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. For about an hour the Brawlers chatted, discussing various topics. Eventually Dan's mother's voice could be heard in the background.

"Daniel! Come and eat lunch!"

"Sorry guys, got to go." With that his webcam went black.

"Me too, actually, I have to finish some chores." Shun said before logging out.

"My parents want me to be a waitress today, see you Julie." Julie stared at the blank screen a moment before shutting her computer down. She grabbed her lunch and headed outside to have a picnic. Her toast was already half-finished when she remembered Runo's words. _Yesterday I saw her at the café, but she was so spaced out I don't know if she even saw me. _Weird. Alice was normally not the type to zone out. In fact, it had been more than at least eight months since Julie had last seen the redhead do so. What was wrong with Alice?

**xxxxx**

He sat next to her on the bed, listening to her recount what her life had been like when he left. Secretly Masquerade felt guilty.

"Eventually they stopped asking. They just got used to the fact that I was a bit depressed sometimes."

"I thought the Brawlers were your friends?" Masquerade asked.

"They are. It's just... I didn't have a literal mask anymore," Alice said as she looked at Masquerade. He smiled very slightly and she continued, "but I would still hide behind a figurative one. I hid what I felt for fear they would be angy with me."

"Tsk. As if they really hated me that much."

"Well... Runo never got over it that you sent all those Bakugan to the Doom Dimension, Julie hates you for Billy being possessed back then, Shun has a general disliking for enemies, and Dan... Dan will never forget the time you sent Drago to the Doom Dimension."

"As if. Dan hates everyone who is better at brawling than he is."

"But... Dan beat you, remember?" she said tentatively, afraid he would be angry. Instead, he threw back his head and laughed loudly.

"What's so funny?"

"Did I never even tell you that I lost on purpose?"

"WHAT?"

"You heard me. I could have beaten him with my eyes closed, and I really would have, but Naga told me not to last-minute. He wanted to finish them personally."

"... I see. Speaking of that battle, why... Why..." Tears sprung into her eyes

"Why what?" he asked, very surprised at her sudden change of emotion.

"Why did you expose me like that?" Behind the mask, Masquerade's eyes widened.

"Alice..." He paused before continuing, choosing his next words very carefully. "I knew Dan wanted to know what was behind my mask. I also knew I could beat him with my eyes closed, so we secretly agreed to some conditions. We came to the agreement that I would keep my lips sealed about it if he did too. To me it was still a win-win situation. The stakes were quite high: If I won, Dan would have to join Naga. If Dan won, well... You know what happened when that lousy son of a bitch won."

The silence that followed was inreadibly tense as Masquerade waited to see if Alice believed him.

"So you didn't mean-"

"Of course not! Why would I do that to you on purpose?"

"I-I don't know, I just thought..." she trailed off as he pressed his index finger to her lips.

"Hush." with that he leaned forwards and kissed her.

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**Well? Was this chapter worth the waiting? Do I get 5 stars for including another kiss? Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi again everybody! Chapter 6 is up so soon as my way of saying sorry for making you wait so long for Chapter 5. I know it's short, but what with the last sentence, it would have been annoying if it had continued. Or at least I think it would have. XD**

**Me: Hah! And you said I would never finish this chapter. In your face, Masquerade!**

**Masquerade: *Sigh* You never give up do you? Well readers, enjoy.**

**Me: Wait, were you actually being _nice_? 0.O**

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****Chapter 6**

Dr. Michael walked through the supermarket with a half-full shopping cart and a slight frown on his face, contemplating what had happened. He found it very difficult to believe, to say the least. Admitted, it was true he had trouble watching Alice grow up, but to see her _kissing _somebody… To make matters worse, it wasn't just a random boy. No, it was Masquerade, who was possibly the last person he would have expected Alice to fall for. Masquerade… What was he doing here? How had he gotten back? And what did he want from Alice? After thinking it over, Michael decided something was not right. Alice could only become Masquerade when she was wearing his mask. It would not be possible for her to stand face-to-face with him, let alone talk to him. Besides, Alice was an intelligent girl; she would know it would only make her life worse if Masquerade were to come back into it. No, Masquerade could not be back. What Michael had seen must have been a trick of the light, an illusion his own tiredness had created. Masquerade could not be back. It was just impossible.

Deep down, Michael knew he was wrong. He knew that light did not play tricks like that on people. He knew that though she acted okay about it, Alice had been thoroughly depressed when Masquerade left. Michael knew he was back to stay. But denying it was so much easier than facing the truth.

**-Meanwhile-**

"I'm going to go and take a shower. Will you wait for me?" Alice asked. Masquerade grinned.

"Sure," he replied. Alice smiled and headed towards the bathroom, grabbing her clothes along the way. As soon as she was out of the room, Masquerade felt different, as though he didn't belong there. Almost… Alien. He shook his head and told himself that it was stupid, but it didn't change anything. Masquerade decided to look more closely at Alice's room as a distraction, until the feeling would go away. But where should he start? In its current state, Masquerade had trouble even recognizing Alice's room.

While examining the clothes littering the floor, something shiny caught Masquerade's eye. Upon closer inspection it turned out to be a bracelet, which disappointed him slightly- he had been expecting something more interesting. Next to where he was standing Masquerade saw a wastepaper basket. It was only half-filled, yet there were a couple of pieces of paper lying around it which looked like they had spilled over the edge. After a moment's hesitation, Masquerade picked one of the scrunched-up paper balls up and unfolded it. It read:

_Dear Grandfather,_

_I'm really sorry, but I can't take it anymore. Please do not feel guilty; it has nothing to do with you. I just don't see the point in living any longer. You don't have to try to stop me. By the time you read this, it will be too late. My friends do not know, please don't blame them, it's what I want. Thank you for always being there for me. Remember, I will always be with you. I love you._

_Alice_

Masquerade was paralyzed in shock. His feet refused to move. He couldn't tear his eyes from the paper. The hand holding it began to shake slightly. Only one thought ran through his head, repeating itself again and again. _Alice wanted to die. She wanted to take her own life away. And all because of me._

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**Well? What do you think? I nearly made myself cry writing Alice's suicide note... Chapter 7 should be up by Sunday. ^^**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello all! I've been on a writing streak lately, I'm writing fanfiction and poetry on-end, so I'm expecting Chapter 8 up soon. If you think I should update more slowly, you can just let me know. :D  
Anyway, this chapter is largely dedicated to Masquerade's story, because I'm sure we all wonder what happened to him when he left. Or at least I do. XD**

**Me: Crap, I forgot the disclaimer the past few times! Anybody feel like it?**

**All: NO!**

**Me: Anybody? Please?**

**Klaus: I-**

**Me&Masquerade: Shut up Klaus, let Alice do this.**

**Alice: Okay then... MysteriouslyMystery does not own Bakugan or any of its characters. Everything belongs to its rightful owners, except this plotline and story. They do belong to her.**

**Me: Thanks, Alice. On to Chapter 7!**

**

* * *

****Chapter 7**

Only when the sound of running water ceased did Masquerade manage to force himself back out of his state of shock. Quickly crumpling the paper back up, he dropped it and dashed back to where he had been sitting. He adopted a bored look just as Alice entered again. Her eyes lit up when she saw him.

"I knew it wasn't a dream." Her hair was still slightly damp and it curled more than usual.

"Why would it be a dream?"

"Oh, it… It's happened often enough…" she blushed and looked away. To fill the awkward silence that followed, Masquerade decided to comment on her hair.

"You should leave your hair like this more often. I like it curly."

"Thank you," replied Alice, beaming. She moved over and sat down next to him. A slight frown suddenly crossed her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I was just wondering… How did you get here?"

"And I honestly thought you'd never ask. I'm going to warn you now- It's a long story and some of it won't make sense, but it's all I can remember. That okay?"

"Yes."

"Good. It started a while back, I'm guessing about four weeks but there's no way to be sure. Up until that point, things had been rather boring. Every day was the same: Wake up, walk around, look for entertainment, watch the stars, go to sleep. Nothing ever changed. No, I didn't eat; I wasn't really alive. More like… In limbo. I was hanging somewhere between life and death, wishing to be able to just pick one. There was nobody else besides me and sometimes I wondered if it was some kind of punishment.

"Anyway, I was beginning to think I would die of boredom soon when I felt that something was changing. These small noises began to resound now and then, replacing the previous silence. They weren't loud enough for me to distinguish anything, but just loud enough for me to hear. As if that wasn't enough, I kept seeing these random blurs of color from the corner of my eye which vanished when I tried to look at them. I swear, somebody was trying to haunt me.

"In the beginning the weird things happened only rarely, but as time went by, they happened more frequently and without reason. One day I asked myself what I had done to deserve it. And don't give me that look, I know I make mistakes that tend to lead to the misfortune of others, but I'm not perfect. Besides, during the time I spent in "limbo", I didn't do _anything_, I just existed. Yes, I know it sounds unbelievable, but I really didn't harm anybody. Like I said, I was all alone.

"Sometime recently I began to have these dreams about the past. Often figures showed up, but the only ones I could distinguish were Hydra, Naga, Klaus, Chan, Komba, Julio, Dan, sometimes Hal-G, and of course you, Alice. You came up most often."

"As I was saying, you lot kept popping up, each time trying to tell me something but never quite managing. It wasn't just one dream repeating itself though. There were countless varieties. Sometimes everybody would show up, sometimes only one person, sometimes three people, sometimes only my old crew. But almost every time you were there, and almost every time you were the only one who said nothing. You just stood there and stared at me, your eyes brimming with tears, stretching your hand out to me. I never managed to reach you, try as I might.

"Once, I was in what looked like the Doom Dimension and I could hear Hydra in the distance, roaring in agony. Following the sound, I ran through a small plain and over three dunes. When I was standing atop the forth, I saw Hydra. All three of his heads turned in my direction and they ceased to roar when they spotted me. For a moment, I forgot it all; being stuck in limbo, the boring routine my life had turned into, having left in the first place, everything. In that moment, I was back in the past, having just won a battle with my partner. That's when I saw you.

"You were quite a ways away and yet impossible for me to overlook. Without thinking, I sprinted towards you and managed to actually get really close to reaching you. Only about five meters of distance remained between us, but before I could cross them, a thin line appeared between us. A huge rip opened up on the ground where the line had been less than a second ago, taking up the five meters that had separated us and barricading my way to you. It happened so suddenly I was barely able to stop in time. The sudden appearance of the gap had started several small earthquakes, one of which knocked you off your feet and as you slipped into the gap, I could do nothing but stand by and watch. Thankfully, you had the sense to grab onto a part of rock and find a foothold. Even from my position, I could see that you were trembling. In a shaky voice you called out my name.

"I tried to find some way to reach you. When I looked to the left, I saw that the gap was thinner a couple of meters away, maybe two, three meters wide, and ran over. Without hesitation I stepped back two paces, then charged forward and jumped across to the other side.

"Upon reaching where you were I noticed that you had climbed up far enough to cling to the edge at the top close to where I stood. I crouched down and held my hand out to you, but in the same moment your grip slackened and you began to fall so quickly, it was a matter of luck that I managed to grab your hand in time.

"Just as I was about to get you onto the ledge, you lost your foothold and almost slipped from my grip, but instead of letting go of your hand I gripped it tighter. Time held still for a second, but then I tipped forward slightly too much and we tumbled down together.

"As we hurtled downwards, you grabbed my free hand and whispered to me. "Masquerade… Don't leave me…" When I promised I wouldn't, the wind rushing past us seemed to quiet down as you continued. "Things are changing. You won't have to stay where you are for much longer. Our paths will cross again soon. You will find your way back to me and we will see each other face-to-face. I promise." With that you vanished. Seconds later, I woke up, reality returning much too fast for my taste. It took me a moment to figure out why I felt so weird, but when I did it suddenly seemed obvious. See, in my dreams there was always somebody to accompany me, but in reality I lived in solitude. No people, no Naga, no Hydra, and worst of all, no Alice. I was all alone. I shouted into the endless silence, shouted at the top of my lungs about the twisted force that kept me here and the unjust punishment I had been dealt. Though I denied it at the time, it was the loneliness getting to me, mixed with the shock of losing you again, that had caused my outburst.

"It didn't take long for the promise you me made to come true, judging by the fact that we are sitting face-to-face right now. How did I get out of limbo? That's where the confusing part starts."

And Alice listened to Masquerade tell the exact same thing as had happened in her vision with a look of utter astonishment on her face.

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**Oooooh, the loose ends are slowly coming together! Any comments accepted. Oh, and before I forget, let me know if you think I should put a brawl in a coming chapter, because if yes, then I'll make sure to make it epic. The majority wins on this one, so if you say no but three others say yes, then don't think I am ignoring you. :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay people, first of all, I would like to apologize to all of you for being so slow. Again. I was working on this chapter, but I had mouontains of homework and my sister's b-day. Also, has decided it wants to hate me and not send me notifications for subscriptions and reviews, so I thought nobody read my story anymore. TT I know, that's stupid, but still. My last point is that most of you requested a battle, so I was working on that, but it took waaaaay too long (I'm still not done...) so that part will be up sometime later.**

**Anyways, enjoy!****

* * *

****Chapter 8**

"What do you mean, you know?" Masquerade didn't sound like he believed the fact that Alice somehow knew what had happened to him.

"Well, I had this vision…" she began, launching into the story of how she had foreseen what was to happen to him. By the time it was over, Masquerade looked somewhat baffled.

"That's strange. I wonder why you were able to see me. "

"Maybe… Maybe it's…" Alice began.

"Maybe it's what?"

"I was just thinking that perhaps… Perhaps it has something to do with our telepathic connection?"

"Hmm… Interesting thought. Actually, it's well possible. I used to be able to get glimpses of what you were doing, if I tried hard enough. Just one thing: While I was in limbo, I tried countless times to contact you, but it never did work."

"Perhaps limbo blocked me out?"

"I don't know. Seems kinda-" What it was, Alice never found out; the doorbell rung in that moment. Alice made to get up, but Masquerade was already at the door.

"I'll get it. If it's your grandfather, I have some explaining to do." Before Alice had a chance to protest, he left the room, closing the door behind him. Alice sighed.

Runo stood outside, waiting for Alice to open the door, feeling excited about the news she was about to pass on. Nothing interesting had happened for about a year. The Brawlers had maintained their top rankings, only rarely receiving requests for a battle from wannabes but always beating them effortlessly. Nothing had seemed to be changing anymore. At least, until that day it hadn't.

The door opened abruptly and Runo started talking.

"Hey Alice, you'll never guess what-" she stopped in mid-sentence and gasped when she realized whom she was facing. Masquerade cocked his head sideways.

"Oh, hello Runo. Judging by the look on your face, neither of us got what we expected."

"What the-"

"No, there's no need. I already know what you're going to say. "You're supposed to be gone! What are you doing here? Oh," Masquerade began, mocking Runo's voice, "I get it. That was some sort of trick, right? Well, you don't fool me! What have you done with Alice?"

"… What _have _you done with Alice?" Runo asked, somewhat annoyed that he had guessed exactly what she had been planning to say.

"Give me one reason to tell you." He replied with a smirk.

"She's a good friend of mine."

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Oh, lots of things."

"Such as?"

"None of your business!" Runo snapped, her temper rising quickly.

"Why so angry?" Masquerade asked in a somewhat teasing voice.

"Shut up. Just shut up," she replied, closing her eyes in frustration.

"Hey, relax. I can be nice, trust me."

"There's just one problem with that."

"Which would be?"

"I _don't _trust you," she said, narrowing her eyes. Masquerade smirked. After a long pause he replied to her.

"… And that would be your first mistake." With that, he closed the door and walked back upstairs, ignoring Runo's shrieks and shouts. The smirk lingered on his face as he entered Alice's room, but when she asked what he was smirking about, he brushed her off by saying that he had just remembered something funny. All he would say about the person at the door was that it was nothing Alice needed to worry about, and like always, she believed his every word.

-MENWHILE, OUTSIDE-

"FINE! Leave me outside! See if I care!" Runo shouted before twisting around and stomping off. _Who the hell does he think he is, ditching me outside like trash? All I wanted to do was pass some news along! What's wrong with him? And where did he come from anyway?_

Along the way home, Runo stopped by the park. She headed towards a large oak tree, sat down underneath it and then slumped against it, pissed off and defeated. Once again, Runo closed her eyes in frustration with Masquerade.

Night had long since closed in when Runo opened her eyes again. Taking a glance at her watch, she realized that she must have been asleep for hours and that her parents were probably out there, looking for her. Quickly she scrambled to her feet and made for home, cursing Masquerade internally but also knowing there was no way to blame it on him. _If he had only heard what I wanted to tell Alice, _she thought, _then maybe this would not have happened. Yes, if Masquerade had known that the forces separating Vestroia and Earth had grown weaker than they had ever been, he would not have cared who I was. He would gladly have listened to me then._

As the sky outside grew darker, Masquerade began to wonder where he would sleep and asked Alice if he could stay at her house.

"O-okay, I guess," she replied, blushing.

"So where do I sleep?"

"I have an extra mattress here…" Alice said, pulling it out from underneath her bed. Together they made the bed.

"Do you mind sleeping-"

"On the floor? Not at all. Trust me, anything goes over having to sleep on rocks."

"Since when do you sleep on rocks?"

"Do you thing I had bed-and-breakfast hotels at my service in limbo?" he asked with a hint at a smirk. Alice giggled in reply.

Late that night, when Alice was already fast asleep, Masquerade lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Insomnia had always been one of his flaws, but that night it was particularly bad. It didn't take long before he was on his feet and creeping over to the window. He unlocked it without a sound, slid it open, and climbed out of it, onto the very window sill on which Alice had found him the previous night. Quickly and mutely he closed the window again.

Whilst scaling the roof, he heard a sound from below. It was a whisper, but in the silence of the night it wasn't too difficult to distinguish. Masquerade slowly lowered himself towards the sound, making sure to stick to the shadows.

"I bet she just made it up." A smirk spread across Masquerade's face as he recognized Dan Kuso's voice.

"No, I don't think she did. Runo wouldn't do that." Another familiar voice. Shun's voice.

"You're supposed to like Alice, not Runo. Somebody's promiscuous!" Dan chanted quietly.

"At least I don't force my best friend out of bed in the middle of the night just to drag him along to Alice's house and check for Masquerade like some kind of stalker." Shun countered.

"I'm not a stalker!" Dan said, a little too loudly.

"Why don't we wake the whole neighborhood up while we're at it?" Shun hissed, fixing Dan with a glare.

"Sorry! Geez, it's not like Masquerade can hear us or anything."

"Oh really?"

"Masquerade!" Shun and Dan gasped in unison, watching him land right before them.

"I'm disappointed. First you wake me, then you deny that I have the ability to hear."

"This is no time for jokes. How did you get here?" Shun asked.

"You're right; it's not time for jokes. But it isn't time for questions either. It's time for a fight."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everyone, I'm back! I'm increadibly sorry about the holdup, I've never written a battle before and it took all my efforts to do so. Plus we've had about 4 tests per week recently... But now that the holidays are here (and partway finished... :( ) I'm hoping to have more time for this story. Oh, and before I forget, I made up every single ability and effect, so you won't know any of them, I think. I also made up Zyra, since Masquerade gave Hydra to Alice and it would be cheesy if he suddenly had him back. Also, I cut the battle short because a) it was taking too long, b) the story was getting too long, c) I was out of ideas on how to finish it, d) I had writer's block, and e) I was fresh out of bitchy things Masquerade could say. Again, sorry.**

**Okay, disclaimer time! Let's see... Shun!**

**Dan: He's practicing his ninja skills.**

**Me: Oh, then it's your turn Dan.**

**Dan: But-**

**Masquerade: Say it or I'm sending you to the Doom Dimension.**

**Dan: ... Fine. MysteriouslyMystery does not own Bakugan or any of the characters in this story. Except Zyra.**

**Masquerade: HAHAHAHAHA! Dan you loser!**

**Dan: ... Bitch.**

**Me: Shut up guys, let the readers start the story!**

**PS if you don't want to read the battle, skip to the bold page break that says Sorry About This.  
PPS Remember, Masquerade doesn't know about anything that happened in New Vestroia and thus does not know who Ingram is.**

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**Chapter 9**

"You're on!" Dan replied immediately. Shun pulled out a spare Gauntlet and tossed it towards Masquerade, who caught it and put it on. Neither Shun nor Dan knew where he had learned what a Gauntlet was or how to use it, but since they knew Masquerade was not about to tell them, neither bothered to ask. Instead, they started the battle.

"Gauntlet Power Strike!" all three shouted in unison.

"Gate Card, set!" Shun called. Time slowed and then came to a standstill.

"Bakugan brawl! Ventus Ingram, stand!"

"Hm? What's this? No Skyress? Okay then. I think I can manage a surprise too. Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Darkus Forctis Zyra!" A humanoid with devil's wings swooped down, carrying a blood-red trident in one hand. Her pitch-black hair didn't quite reach her waist, but flowed down to right about where her ribs would have ended. She was very beautiful, (Shun and Dan were reminded of Klaus's Sirenoid) but there was something evil-looking about her, too. The dress she was wearing was short-sleeved, knee-length, and somewhat sexy. Everything she wore was black-and-purple, her high heels included.

Ingram: 400 Zyra: 450

"Ability activate! Demon's Wrath!" Masquerade called, activating an ability card that boosted Zyra's power level by 200 and decreased Ingram's by 150 G's.

Ingram: 250 Zyra: 650

"Not so fast! Ability activate! Mega Shield!" Ingram's power level doubled and a shield formed around him.

Ingram: 500 Zyra: 650

"Hey Masquerade, watch this! Bakugan brawl! Drago, stand!" Dan shouted as he threw Drago onto the gate card.

"Double ability activate! Flaming Fury and Helping Hand!" At this, Drago's power level increased by 150 and then combined with Ingram's.

Ingram & Drago: 1100 Zyra: 650

Ingram and Drago attacked Zyra at the same time, but Masquerade just smirked.

"How pathetic. Double ability activate! Goddess of Darkness and Dark Veil!" The whole field went dark. Not knowing which direction to shoot in, Ingram and Drago blasted attacks which hit nothing. Both of their power levels dropped by 150 G's while Zyra's increased by the amount taken.

Ingram & Drago: 800 Zyra: 950

"Crush them!" Masquerade ordered. Zyra, able to see right through the darkness, aimed her trident at Ingram and Drago. Without a sound, she fired, sending her opponents reverting into ball formation. The field became visible again to reveal Zyra revert to ball form and fly into a satisfied Masquerade's hand. 150 life points were subtracted from Shun and Dan's Life Gauges.

Shun: 350 Masquerade: 500 Dan: 350

"Honestly, that was easier than I had expected. Are you two getting worse or am I just overestimating you?" Masquerade taunted.

"Shut up and brawl!" Dan retorted.

"If you insist. Gate card set! Bakugan brawl! Bakugan stand! Darkus Zyra!"

"Baku-"

"Stand back, Shun! I've got this. Bakugan brawl! Drago, stand!" Drago emerged with a loud roar and a burst of flames.

Zyra: 450 Drago: 450

"Ability activate! Confusion!" Without warning, Zyra flew towards Drago and pointed her trident at him, which was glowing in purple tones. For a moment, Dan waited, but Zyra did not fire at Drago. Instead, her trident stopped glowing and she flew back to Masquerade's side of the field.

"What was that for?"

"Oh, you'll see. Now go ahead and make your move." Hating to be told what to do but not being sure what else to do, Dan chose an ability, absolutely unaware that he was the victim of a trick. Shun must have realized it though, because he joined the battle before Dan could cut him off again.

"Bakugan brawl! Ventus Ingram, stand!"

"Shun! I said to stay out of it and let me handle this!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not your slave."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just that you fall into traps without realizing it."

"Say what?"

"I'm honestly surprised you beat Masquerade in the first place."

"Oh yeah? As if you could ever beat him!"

"Look, I'm really touched that you two are fighting over me, but could you save it for later? In case you hadn't noticed, we have a battle going on." Masquerade used his taunting voice. His opponents looked severely annoyed, which caused him to laugh.

"You won't be laughing for long, Masquerade! Ability activate: Boosted Dragon!"

Zyra: 450 Drago: 550 Ingram: 400

"Now watch this." Dan said with a triumphant look on his face. In response, Masquerade just smirked, folded his arms and waited for his plan to come into action, while Shun tried to remember where he had heard the card name Confusion. Just as Drago was about to attack Zyra, the memory returned to Shun. _Confusion is a card which is best used in a battle against two or more opponents. It causes a Bakugan to attack one of its allies._

"Dan, wait! You're going to-" But he was too late; Drago suddenly twisted around and blasted his attack at Ingram, who fell backwards with the force of it and then reverted to ball form.

Shun: 200 Masquerade: 500 Dan: 350

"Well done, Kuso. You spared me the trouble of taking your friend out by myself."

"You'll pay for that!"

"Will I now? Let's see about that. Double ability activate! Mind Crush and Snap Freeze!" Drago's power level decreased by 160 G's while Zyra's remained the same.

Zyra: 450 Drago: 390

"Because of Snap Freeze, you can't activate any abilities. Instead, you get to stand by and watch while I finish your precious Drago. Ability activate! Demon's Wrath!"

Zyra: 650 Drago: 390

"Drago!" Dan yelled as he watched Zyra blast an attack at his partner, unable to prevent it at all.

Shun: 200 Masquerade: 500 Dan: 90

"Why don't I take a shot at this one?" Shun asked Dan with a scowl on his face.

"Gate Card, set! Bakugan brawl! Ingram, stand!" Ingram stood on the Gate Card and Shun looked expectantly at Masquerade, who sighed.

"How many times do I have to kick your ass before you get it? You. Can't. Beat. Me." He said each word slowly, as if he was explaining to an impatient toddler.

"Don't talk to Shun like that!"

"What's this? Are you defending your boyfriend, Dan?"

"He is NOT my boyfriend!" Dan shouted angrily as his face heated up. The corners of Shun's mouth turned downwards.

"Quit stalling and start brawling."

"If you insist. Bakugan brawl! Darkus Zyra, stand!"

"Bakugan brawl! Drago, stand!"

Ingram: 400 Zyra: 450 Drago: 450

"Decided to join us, have you, Dan? The more, the merrier." Masquerade said sarcastically, a smirk on his face.

"Gate card open! Ventus Reactor!" Shun called, ignoring Masquerade's comment.

"Ability activate! Goddess of Darkness!"

Ingram: 450 Zyra: 750 Drago: 300

"Really, you two fall for the same tricks so often, it's almost funny."

"Shut your mouth!" Dan replied.

"Make me."

"Maybe I will. Triple ability activate! Flaming Fury, Boosted Dragon and Deduction!"

Ingram: 450 Zyra: 550 Drago: 550

"Double ability activate! Air Force Blast Attack and Giga Drain!"

Ingram: 600 Zyra: 350 Drago: 550

"Oh no! Ninja Freak and Big Bad Dan have got me cornered! I'm so _scared._ Please, have mercy!" Masquerade called in a mocking voice.

"By the looks of it, we _do _have you cornered, so shut your yap, Masquerade!"

"Now you've offended me. Here, take this! Ability Activate! Power Switch! Let's see, whom do I want to trade with… I would pick Shun, but since Baby Dan can't hold his tongue, I think I'll teach him a lesson."

Ingram: 600 Zyra: 550 Drago: 350

"Now, Zyra!" At Masquerade's order, Zyra shot through the air at Drago and stabbed him with her trident. Meanwhile, Ingram dashed over to Zyra and blasted her in the back. Zyra and Drago both reverted to ball form. Dan's eyes widened in shock as he watched his Life Gauge empty itself while Masquerade caught his partner in his hand, his face expressionless.

Shun: 200 Masquerade: 450 Dan: 0

The pyrus brawler turned to his best friend, clearly not believing what had just happened. Shun refused to look at Dan, feeling slightly guilty at not having been able to help him. Neither of them understood why their opponent hadn't taken both of them down, but before either of them could mention it, Masquerade had already started the next round.

"Gate card, set. Bakugan brawl! Zyra stand!" Zyra came out of ball formation and hovered above the Gate Card, but Shun merely glared at her owner.

"Are you going to stare at me threateningly or actually do something?" Shun's opponent asked him. Still not replying to Masquerade, Shun threw Ingram onto the battlefield.

**XXXXX** (**A.N. Sorry about this…**)

One battle later, Shun was defeated while Masquerade's Life Gauge remained untouched. Shocked at his defeat, Shun's eyes were wide as he watched Ingram revert to ball form, bounce a bit and come to a standstill at his master's feet. While Shun picked up Ingram, Masquerade's smirk widened and soon he was laughing.

"What's wrong, Ninja Freak? You're looking a little unhappy. Is your boyfriend angry with you for losing?"

"You better shut your face before I punch it!" Dan shouted, furious.

"Somebody help me. The oversized baby is going to hit me with his little fists! I better watch my tongue."

"Oh no you didn't!"

"Shun, _do something! _I think your boyfriend is upset with me!"

"If I have to tell you one more time that Shun's not my boyfriend I'm gonna…"

"Challenge me to a battle and lose? Again?"

"Shut _up_!" Dan bellowed, launching himself at Masquerade and hurling a punch that his foe dodged with ease. As much as he wanted to, Masquerade forced himself not to punch the reckless brunette before him. Instead, he pulled his old teleporter card from his pocket and activated it, not wanting the others to see him returning to Alice's place for fear of them disliking her for it.

However, Dan blinked at the wrong moment and missed the second when his rival vanished. He raised an eyebrow at Shun, who told him what had happened, upon which Dan became extremely pissed off and cursed for a whole hour. Eventually Shun got bored with this and literally dragged him back home, pretending to listen to his best friend moaning, whining and complaining about Masquerade and his unfairness.

Meanwhile, Masquerade managed to sneak back into Alice's room undetected. Quietly he crept across the room to where she slept, knelt beside her and stroked her hair affectionately, hoping she wouldn't wake. A smile made its way onto his face.

"Sweet dreams, Alice." He whispered softly into her ear.

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**Well, how did I do? Was the battle too long? I'm not writing any more battles by the way, they annoy me too much. I'll try to update soon!**


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